Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green is great! It’s an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, road trip, social media, forced proximity, second chance YAHeartbreak Boys by Simon James Green is great! It’s an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, road trip, social media, forced proximity, second chance YA romance that is not at all the vapid trope soup you might expect from that barrage of keywords. Flamboyantly gay, Tigger-ish Jack and subdued, Eeyore-ish Nate slowly and sweetly find their way towards each other and, in the process, learn some things about living life for itself rather than for the ‘gram....more
I really enjoyed this YA gay romance. Two young men fall in love while working at a park a lot like Dollywood. I found the music industry shenanigans I really enjoyed this YA gay romance. Two young men fall in love while working at a park a lot like Dollywood. I found the music industry shenanigans engaging and liked the MCs (and the performers who voiced them). They were a bit obtuse at times, but high school seniors can be like that. (I live with two of them.)...more
It’s 2065 and strong colors and personal expression are heavily frowned upon. Reed Rothwell is a ball of nerves, and when the government-mandated softIt’s 2065 and strong colors and personal expression are heavily frowned upon. Reed Rothwell is a ball of nerves, and when the government-mandated software implanted in his body starts showing signs of sentience it’s the last thing he needs.
This techno thriller with a gentle side of romance, good feels, and a love of deco style and jazz music kept me riveted. I can’t wait to read more of the series.
This was...fine? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's pretty much a by-the-numbers, somewhat tropey, enemies-to-lovers romance novel. It's somewhat unusual in being an MM rThis was...fine? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's pretty much a by-the-numbers, somewhat tropey, enemies-to-lovers romance novel. It's somewhat unusual in being an MM romance written by a gay man and also in featuring a fat man who is desired for his fat body. Not a bad read if those are things you value, and the audiobook narration is well done....more
Two men, one a veteran with PTSD and two artificial legs, the other HIV+ and somewhat haunted by his past, slowly find their way towards loving each oTwo men, one a veteran with PTSD and two artificial legs, the other HIV+ and somewhat haunted by his past, slowly find their way towards loving each other. It's pretty short--I listened to the 4 1/2 hour audiobook--but heartfelt and real. As someone who has been chronically ill for thirty years, I really identified with the way they connected through their different challenges. There was a part where Jamie was thinking about how they were both "from the island of broken toys" that reminded me of being in my 20s, newly diagnosed, and connecting with other people who had walked on the shadow side, as I've always thought of it.
I definitely teared up in a happy way at one point towards the end, and I don't often tear up at books.
The book's about a decade old, and it was a reminder of a time before PrEP and Obamacare, when HIV was a rougher road than it is now but not as deadly as in the first decade of the epidemic.
This is a sweet falling-in-love novella that's also about fandom and the saving power of media, especially what media can be if it has the courage of This is a sweet falling-in-love novella that's also about fandom and the saving power of media, especially what media can be if it has the courage of its convictions rather than queerbaiting....more
I found Hoodoo House, the second book in Peter Fenton’s Declan Hunt Mysteries trilogy, quite un-put-down-Four stars, rounded up from three and a half.
I found Hoodoo House, the second book in Peter Fenton’s Declan Hunt Mysteries trilogy, quite un-put-down-able at times, and that’s a fine thing in a mystery novel. I also got caught up in the developing romance between Declan and Charlie, rooting for them to get their act together. I was annoyed when they spent some time not talking to each other about topics that they really should have aired; I generally find that irksome as a driver of plot. I also found Henry, the teenager who lives at Hoodoo House, unconvincing at times—acting young for his stated age or having an internal voice that didn’t quite ring true for me. Neither of these reservations stopped me enjoying the book, and I saw a few crumbs artfully dropped at the end that have me intrigued for book three.
I also really appreciated a couple of places where Fenton subverted genre conventions. (view spoiler)[There was only one room and the inn, but it had more than one bed. A character discovered a crucial clue and decided not to tell the detective right away but wasn’t murdered or abducted before he spoke up. (hide spoiler)] As my fellow readers know, these are both almost unheard of in their respective genres, so they were a nice breath of fresh air.
A recommended read for fans of mystery novels and/or own-voices lgbtq+ fiction, especially those who like a bit of romance thrown in with the mayhem.
I received an ARC from the author (thanks!)....more
Pluralities really blew my mind. It really captured things about my relationship with gender that I haven’t seen described. There are two threads that Pluralities really blew my mind. It really captured things about my relationship with gender that I haven’t seen described. There are two threads that alternate chapters. One thread is set in a world that’s much like our own, but every girl and woman has a stamp on their cheek says “she,” and they work in she-jobs and behave in she-ways. Men and boys aren’t stamped. That metaphor crystalizes so much of what annoys me about being a woman. When I related it to my cis male husband, he didn’t get it—which is kind of the point. The narrator becomes increasingly uncomfortable with having a stamp and eventually has a gender epiphany.
The other thread concerns a prince-turned-rogue called Cornelius. It’s not clear what his species is, but it’s clear he’s not human—he’s got eyes in his neck, for one thing. He travels between planets in a type of craft called a B.O.D.Y., so we’ve definitely got another metaphor going on here. I didn’t correct as strongly with Cornelius as with the unnamed narrator in the other thread, but I did follow his story with interest.
I read a friend’s copy, but I’ll definitely be buying my own copy so I can reread it and think about it. Is there any higher praise for a book?
A can't-put-it-down thriller with paranormal and and romantic elements. I was impressed with how it starts as an apparently simple story and then the A can't-put-it-down thriller with paranormal and and romantic elements. I was impressed with how it starts as an apparently simple story and then the mysterious weird bits start slipping in and adding up....more
Loading...
